You are technically not pregnant in week one of your pregnancy. But you will soon receive the exciting news about the growing life in your womb. You may be confused, but your doctor will calculate your Expected Delivery Date from the first day of your last period.

Fetal Development at Week 1

There is no baby yet, it’s just an egg and a bunch of eager sperm at their beginning entryways. As of now, the uterus has started preparing for the arrival of a fertilized egg. It is difficult to know if the egg has effectively coordinated with the sperm.

Maximize the chances of conceiving a healthy baby by taking prenatal vitamins and following healthy routine habits.

Your Body at Week 1

Consider this week as your body’s preparation stage to accommodate the baby and have a smooth pregnancy. The uterus is thickening to hold your implanted fertilized egg. Once the inner layer of your womb comes out, a new inner layer forms, which will support your baby for the next 9 months. It is time to be patient and take proper care of yourself. You still have 40 weeks to go.

Even doctors can’t state the exact date when sperm meets egg. Sperm from your partner remains in your body for a few days before it greets the egg. This standard method of using the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP) as the beginning line of 40 weeks of pregnancy is followed by most medical practitioners.

Hormonal Changes at Week 1

Uterus lining is shedding along with the last month’s unfertilized egg. Your menstrual cycle is coordinated by a lot of hormones working with one another.

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stimulates follicles to mature (1).

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) works along with FSH to stimulate the follicles. Each follicle consists of an egg, and every month only one follicle is destined for ovulation (2, 3).

Estrogen is produced when the follicles mature (4). It persuades the uterus lining to thicken again. When a high level of estrogen is reached, it will trigger a spike in LH production. This rush of LH causes the egg to burst through the ovarian wall to meet the lucky sperm, which transforms the egg into a baby in progress.

The countdown begins now despite the fact that the egg and sperm haven’t come in contact with each other. Try not to take stress if you don’t get pregnant right now. With each cycle, couples in their 20s and 30s have a 25 to 30 percent chance to get pregnant.

Week 1 Pregnancy Symptoms

Since you haven’t conceived yet, you will not be experiencing pregnancy symptoms from day 1. Most of the women get their first symptoms after a month from when they miss a period. But still, there are few menstrual symptoms that you might experience during the initial days of pregnancy. Below are a few common menstrual symptoms:

• Acne or Pimples
• Back Pain
• Breast Tenderness
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Menstrual Cramps
• Mood Swings

Week 1 Pregnancy Checklist

Even before conception, you need to ensure if your body is in good shape for pregnancy by undertaking below suggestions:

• Eat healthy food.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce your caffeine intake.
• Start exercising.
• Start taking prenatal vitamins.
• Track your menstrual cycle.
• Visit your gynecologist.